European Politics Betting
Wait, you can bet on politics?
Yes, you can! In fact, since 2016, political betting has been one of the fastest-growing categories of the online betting industry and political betting odds are popping up all over. For Americans or anyone living in the USA, offshore betting is the only lawful option, as it is illegal for brick and mortar sportsbooks to offer any sort of politics betting. In Europe, however, this form of wagering is a well-established staple of their legalized betting culture.
Regardless, top-notch online political betting sites are available to everyone, no matter where you live. What’s most important is finding one that’s vetted, safe to use, and can be relied upon to provide handicappers with the best odds and markets consistently.
Top Sites for Betting on Politics
Betting limits – Bookmakers usually have lower limits for betting politics. We try to find and recommend the sites with the largest limits. The sites that do the best across the board make it to our shortlist. European Politics Politics betting odds, results and more from William Hill, the online bookmaker. Everything you need to bet on European Politics.
- Bovada – One of the most widely recognized names in online wagers, they frequently offer the best political betting odds.
- MyBookie – This site posts a broad range of creative political lines, including a selection of fun Donald Trump prop bets.
- BetOnline – As a long-time industry leader in online bookmaking, it has lots of great political betting markets.
- Betway – This is a UK-based bookmaker that holds licenses throughout Europe and offers a large selection of US and European political betting opportunities.
Our mission is to introduce new players to the world’s top political betting websites; however, the qualities that make an option the “best” for one player may not be the same for another. It’s all relatively subjective once you get past the fundamental attributes like safety, legitimacy, and ease of use. You can find out more about this further down on the page but first, lets jump into to different political betting options on the market.
Political Betting Around the World
Everything from the online sportsbooks available in your region, to the political betting events in which you’re likely interested, will probably depend on your location or country of origin. In the United States, it’s illegal for licensed providers—brick and mortar and web-based bookmakers alike—to take odds on politics. This law was put into place to prevent the American electoral system from corruption.
However, it’s perfectly legal for US citizens to utilize offshore betting sites; they just won’t benefit from any government regulations, which makes finding trustworthy operators particularly crucial for Americans. The best political bookmakers accepting Americans will often cover foreign elections as well, but not as thoroughly as what’s going on in the United States.
In Europe, political betting is commonplace and easily accessible, both at land-based establishments and on the internet. For a player in the UK, using a licensed gaming website is a requirement, which gives the player increased protections and less reason to fret about the legitimacy of a site operator. Fortunately, European oddsmakers do a superb job at covering US political events in addition to their local lines.
Betting US Politics
No matter the country in which you live, United States political betting markets are the most popular on the internet. All of the top political betting sites offer a plenty of lines and odds, dealing with the US presidential elections, party primaries, congressional races, and a wealth of wagers relating specifically to President Donald Trump.
Political betting’s rapid growth is largely attributed to the 2016 election, in which Trump scored a shocking upset win over Hillary Clinton. Before that race, wagering on politics didn’t offer much value, because the polls were relatively accurate, and so the lines and odds shifted in response to the latest polling data.
2016 changed everything because it proved that:
- The pollsters and media were no longer reliable sources
- That major upsets were possible, which means there’s positive value out there for handicappers.
Today, you can bet on each individual state’s primary or caucus on the road to the two parties’ national conventions, the eventual nominees, how many times Donald Trump will tweet in a given day, whether he will be removed from office, and so much more!
Betting UK Politics
As we previously mentioned, betting on politics has been a normal fixture of UK odds boards for years. Similar to Trump’s victory in 2016, handicappers in England were treated to a massive upset of their own with the passing of “Brexit.” The substantial payouts and surprising result had the same impact across the pond, creating newfound interest in betting on politics.
Online sportsbooks in the UK treat residents to all sorts of creative lines, covering everything from the London mayoral election, to the next leaders of each major party, to the next general election. Bookies include options to bet on either the next winning party or next Prime Minister in the generals.
Betting French Politics
Many online political betting sites cover French elections and events as well. France’s presidential election takes place every five years, with the next race taking place in 2022. The current president is Emmanuel Macron, whose main opponent in two years will be Marine Le Pen of the National Rally party. Many European oddsmakers are already taking action on the electoral contest.
It’s also worth noting that France uses a two-round presidential election system, providing multiple opportunities on which to wager on the same race.
The Basics of Political Betting
As you know, the category of “political betting” covers a broad range of unique wager types and events. The most common are futures bets for presidential elections.
Sportsbooks will post political betting odds for the incumbent and a variety of potential nominees for the opposing party and set lines for them all. You pick who you believe will become the next president, and the bet is resolved on election night. But that’s only a small percentage of what the best political betting sites offer – check out the different types of wagers below.
Types of Political Bets
Moneyline
A moneyline bet deals with two possible outcomes; for example, “Which party will win the 2020 presidential election? Republicans or Democrats?” Often, despite having two possible options, the likelihood of either of them happening isn’t an equal 50/50 split.
So, moneyline odds set specific payouts for both sides. The “favorite” or result more likely to happen is expressed as a negative number, like –150. That means you must bet $150 on that side to win $100. The underdog has positive moneyline odds, such as +125. For every $100 you stake, you’ll earn $125.
Donald Trump -125
Bernie Sanders +105
Futures
Most political bets fall into the “futures” category. These are merely wagers that will be decided on a specific date in the future. They’ll often include a field of participants from which the bettor may choose. The 2020 presidential election (example displayed below) is considered a futures bet, for which you can pick Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg, and several others.
Odds to Win the 2020 Presidential Election
| Politician | Betting Odds |
|---|---|
| Joe Biden | -135 |
| Donald Trump | +105 |
| Mike Pence | +10000 |
| Hillary Clinton | +10000 |
| Michelle Obama | +10000 |
| Elizabeth Warren | +15000 |
| Nikki Haley | +25000 |
| Mark Cuban | +50000 |
| Kanye West | +50000 |
Props
The “proposition” label covers a wide variety of bets. Any odds dealing with political outcomes beyond the usual electoral contests are considered a prop. For example, some online sportsbooks allow you to wager on current events like, “Will Donald Trump complete his first term in office as President of the US?” All of the political betting odds and lines dealing with Trump’s tweets and foreign policy decisions fit under the “prop bet” title as well.
Totals (Over-Unders)
Totals bets are when the oddsmakers set a line, dealing with how many times a specific occurrence will take place.
European Political Betting
Betting Presidential and General Elections
The most popular way to bet politics is by placing a few dollars on whichever candidate you predict will win an upcoming election. Since 2016, interest in the United States general election has skyrocketed around the globe.
If a long-shot reality TV host like Donald Trump could find his way into the White House, in the future, anything could happen! Expectations are that America’s 2020 presidential election will attract the most action globally of any political betting market in history.
The UK’s general elections to decide their Prime Minister is probably the second-most-significant event for wagering on politics. In 2019, Boris Johnson was the favorite when he defeated the Labour Party’s, Jeremy Corbin. Some of the more prominent European sportsbooks also cover elections in Ireland, France, and throughout the EU.
Party Primaries
While the general election in US politics is the “championship game,” the party primaries are akin to the regular season. Heading into 2020, Donald Trump is the incumbent on the Republican side, without a significant primary challenger. However, the Democrats have a very competitive race for the party’s nomination on their side of the aisle, with four or five viable candidates.
Not only can you wager on the eventual DNC nominee, but the best online political betting sites are also posting lines on each individual state. For example, the Iowa caucuses were the first statewide contest for pledged delegates. Pete Buttigieg ultimately won the most delegates and was thus awarded the victory as a slight underdog to Bernie Sanders.
The primaries offer the most valuable betting odds to handicappers due to the high variance in results and the volume of contests. They present 50 unique political wagering opportunities in the lead-up to the presidential elections. In years without an incumbent, that means 100 chances to bet on politics.
Congressional Elections
In the United States, the president serves a four-year term. Senators serve six-year terms, and members of the House of Representatives are given two-year terms, so there are significant electoral contests on which to wager every two years, minimum. Midterm elections are a crucial opportunity for political bettors, as they offer dozens of additional high-variance betting markets from which to profit.
Beyond the individual Senate and House races, the makeup of the two chambers of Congress will greatly influence other political odds. For example, if you had bet that Trump would be impeached and removed from office during his first term, you were closely following the 2018 midterms.
When enough House seats were flipped to Democrat to give them the majority, it was nearly guaranteed that the sitting president would eventually be impeached. However, they weren’t able to win a majority in the Senate, which is the chamber responsible for holding the impeachment trial and acting as jurors. As a result, Donald Trump was impeached but acquitted.
Betting on Current Events
Thankfully, the growth of betting on politics odds has encouraged online sportsbooks to post new lines in the periods between elections. Oddsmakers have been known to set political odds on almost anything.
Sometimes, you can bet on whether or not a specific piece of legislation will pass. In other cases, you may see lines and odds on the next Supreme Court Justice appointed or how the United States will respond to recent foreign policy situations.
What’s important is that the top political betting sites keep handicappers that like to wager on politics busy during downtime.
Donald Trump Prop Bets
Nobody is more singularly responsible for the explosion of betting on politics than Donald Trump. Hate him or love him, he’s been the focus of everyone’s attention since his historic 2016 campaign that culminated with a monumental upset over Hillary Clinton at roughly 4-1 odds.
Since the current president is continually the most talked about man in America, the top online sportsbooks usually post an entire slate of Donald Trump propositions. This is where you’ll see the over/unders on his Twitter activities, odds on whether he’ll meet with different world leaders like Russia’s Putin or China’s Xi, and betting lines about impeachment.
Criteria for the Best Political Betting Sites
At TheSportsGeek, our team of internet gaming experts is continually reviewing new political betting sites to ensure our lists are always stocked with the best names in the business. We can’t promise that every recommendation will fit your unique preferences, but we can guarantee that any online sportsbook on our pages is safe, offers a variety of politics betting markets, and accepts a range of banking options.
That way, even if you decide a different online sportsbook might be a better fit, it won’t be because you were scammed or treated unfairly. Our reviewers make sure to protect our readers from fraudulent operators, so you can focus on the specific website details or, better yet, winning your election bets. Learn more about how we review and rank these websites by clicking on any of the criteria below.
Unlike sports betting, political events don’t come around as often. Most major elections around the world take place in four- or five-year cycles. That’s why the best political betting sites get creative with odds, covering a wide variety of situations and outcomes beyond the most prominent electoral contests.For example, some websites set weekly proposition political odds dealing explicitly with Donald Trump. Here is an example of a Donald Trump prop bet:
You can wager on his volume of tweets, which renowned international terrorist he’ll capture or kill next, whether he’ll declare war, be impeached, and so much more. The more options they provide to handicappers, the better.
Betting on politics should be a year-round activity, just like handicapping sports. The only way to accomplish this is to find online oddsmakers known to post an extensive selection of political betting odds.
The importance of variety extends beyond the political gambling markets to a website's banking options as well. These days, there are lots of different ways to move money in and out of your online gaming account. Finding the best method for you depends on your location, regional regulations, and personal preferences.
For example, in the United States, banks are required by federal law to block transactions between their account holders’ checking accounts and known gaming operations. While it’s not illegal for you to bet at an offshore site, banking institutions cannot assist you in financing your activities.
Credit card companies, however, often have no issue with you using their services to fund your betting account. The same goes for numerous e-wallets, online payment processors, and cryptocurrencies. Of course, different banking methods each have their own strengths and weaknesses.
A credit card is excellent for fast deposits and provides an additional layer of consumer protections, but it cannot be used to accept withdrawals. Cryptocurrencies are anonymous and perfect for instant transactions but can be complicated to purchase and may fluctuate wildly in value.
Depositing and withdrawing directly from your debit card or checking account is the height of convenience, but only available in select regions, and requires you to share sensitive banking information with the website operators.
That’s why accepting a variety of banking methods is so essential to creating a top-tier political betting site. You need a range of options to find what works best for your specific situation.
Now, obviously, we don’t anticipate you needing to connect with the customer service team at any of our recommended political gambling sites. Still, it’s vital that the best online sportsbooks provide excellent support, just in case something unexpected happens or an error occurs. Even the top websites experience random issues from time to time.What matters most is that any problems you encounter or questions you may have are tended to in a timely and respectful manner. When executing our review process, we research the different ways to contact each political betting site’s customer support team and verify that they’re active and supervised by responsive help desk agents.
Most online sportsbooks have three methods of communication: email, telephone, and a live chat window. Our reviewers test each option and record how quickly they receive a response. We encourage you to do the same before depositing money. That way, you can feel assured that while you bet politics, there’s a responsive and helpful customer service team standing by, should you ever need them.
For most people, the scariest thing about online political betting is transferring their hard-earned money to a website hosted offshore and/or in a foreign jurisdiction. The internet is littered with scammers and their fraudulent gambling websites, so the fear is warranted. That’s why vetting web-based sportsbooks for safety and security make up the foundation of our review process; there’s nothing more important.Any political betting website that qualifies for our lists of recommendations has been intensively researched and tested to ensure they’re legitimate, trustworthy businesses. Our reviewers also pay close attention to site security, so we can be certain that all of your data and financial information is protected with state-of-the-art encryption.
Another element of our website reviews is digging into each political betting site owner’s history and reputation in the online gaming industry. Just because a sportsbook is operating with integrity at the moment, doesn’t mean you can trust them long term. There have been oddsmakers who behaved themselves long enough to gain a regulatory license, only to go rogue after the fact.We prefer providers with a proven track record in the gaming industry. Our team analyzes the business dealings of the owners behind our recommendations and their previous domains to verify there’s no history of unethical behavior. They also study reviews and speak to top handicappers to be sure that any political betting website we share with our readers has an excellent reputation among the experts who know best.
Types of Political Betting Websites
Earlier, we mentioned how subjective it could be to determine which factors make one online sportsbook “better” than another. Once you have the fundamental criteria covered, finding the ideal political betting website is mostly a matter of personal preference. We believe that all of our recommendations are the top providers in the industry; some just have different specialties.
For example, you may be looking to bet politics right from your mobile phone. In that case, you’ll be interested in visiting our page at ranks to best mobile betting options.
Now, just because a betting website isn’t shared on that page doesn’t mean it won’t work on your phone or tablet. It may just not be compatible with as many different mobile devices as the other options that are listed. The online sportsbooks recommended on out real money page are safe and likely available on any mobile device you could have.
The same goes for fast payout betting sites. None of our recommendations offer slow payouts. That’s one of the variables we screen during our review process. The providers listed on the “fast payout” page specialize in completing monetary transactions swiftly.
Why Bet Politics Online
Political betting is still relatively new to the world of handicapping. Sure, it’s existed as a kind of novelty market in UK bookmaking shops for years, but it’s only been since 2016 that elections and politics have grown as legitimate competitions worth handicapping. With the world changing, polls and media personalities no longer exert enough influence to control the outcomes of races, meaning there’s now more value in betting politics than ever before.
For many of us, turning to online sportsbooks for our political betting is the only option, as land-based providers are barred from covering anything other than sports. Fortunately, in today’s interconnected world, that’s barely an inconvenience. As you’ve seen on this page, there are plenty of incredible top-notch political betting sites out there, just waiting for you to put your money where your mouth is!
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2020 US Presidential Election Recap
The 2020 US Presidential Election Season is in the rear-view mirror and while it took more time than necessary for the dust to settle, Joe Biden finally officially made Donald Trump the 11th one-term President. Despite the lawsuits, the conspiracy theories and investigations, Donald Trump, who has yet to concede, and many of the 75 million that voted for him may still never accept the Election results.
The Electoral College has spoken, the swearing-in ceremonies are complete and the work to undo the damage that Donald Trump inflicted on his own Nation is underway.
Joe Biden can thank the African American turnout, the US Urban Centers, a huge number of mail-in votes and an unprecedented overall voter turnout for his big win. Trump predictably got a big swath of the vote from rural America. It remains unclear if those trends will follow us into the next Election Betting cycle or if the Donald Trump factor was a once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon.
Bettors were engaged in unprecedented fashion in 2020. Offshore sportsbooks reported a major uptick in US Election Betting from the 2016 campaign. One major British site saw a 150% increase in overall bets from 2016 with a few brave souls wagering $1 million plus on the outcome.
2016 set the standard as far as US Election popularity and 2020 blew that standard away. Now we look to the 2022 Mid-terms and the 2024 Presidential Campaign for our US Politics Betting fix. And it seems as though the Campaigns have started already.
As we look forward to the next Presidential Election cycle in 2024 – odds have already been set on who will be the Democratic and Republican Nominees. We will be there with all key political gambling markets to consider, the sites with the best and most varied betting odds on politics, betting strategies to help you succeed, and much more as we put a lid on this current Campaign and look toward the next one.
Political Odds & Betting News
Political Betting News
US Presidential Election Betting Odds
Betting on politics dates back hundreds of years. As King Edward VI of England lay dying in 1553, merchants in Antwerp were busy wagering on the disputed succession. Bookmakers in London were offering 4/1 (+400) on King George II dying on the battlefields of Dettingen after a foolhardy decision to wage war on the French in 1743. In the late 19th century, a thriving betting market on presidential elections sprung up on Wall Street.
Europe has always been the spiritual home of political betting, but it is now soaring in popularity in America. Each presidential election sets a new record in sportsbook handle, and there is serious money up for grabs if you can call it correctly.
Donald Trump was initially assigned odds of 500/1 (+50000) to win the 2016 election. That dropped to 25/1 (+2500) by the time he announced his campaign in August 2015. The odds on him emerging victorious continued to dwindle in the buildup to the election, but Hillary Clinton remained the heavy favorite, only for Trump to pull off a stunning upset. Some bettors won more than $1 million by betting on him.
On the other side of the Atlantic, bettors have recently made their fortunes by correctly predicting that Scotland would not leave the UK, Britain would leave the EU and the Conservatives would beat Labour in 2015. Betting on elections in countries like Australia, New Zealand, and Sweden is also popular.
The 2020 US presidential battle became the biggest political betting event in history. Donald Trump was perhaps the most polarizing figure ever to run for political office. His bombast and intense divisiveness were a benefit in 2016 but proved to be a detriment in 2020. We saw him start out as the favorite when the official 2020 campaign season kicked off but those odds dwindled as COVID-19 worsened and Democrats rallied to defeat the embattled President.
We now look forward to the 2024 US Election and oddsmakers have already stated compiling odds for who will be the combatants for what promises to be another political slugfest. Joe Biden, the current President will be 82 years old when that campaign comes around. There are questions about his ability and even desire to bid for another 4 years in office.
There will be more opportunities for bettors to weigh in on a host of topics, from the winner of the Presidency, to the winner of the Senate to the always-fun prop bets that became an enormous part of this political betting season. Sportsbooks will undoubtedly be covering races in other countries around the world as well.
Who will seize the opportunity will in 2024? Will there be any betting opportunities similar to the ones we saw in 2020 like President Donald Trump opening Area 51 to the public before his first term in office ends?
US Presidential Election Prop Bets
US Election Prop Bets continue to be a popular way for not only political junkies but pop-culture aficionados to get a little skin in the game.
The Presidential Debates were probably the highlight of the prop betting season. In true US Political fashion, Prop Betting season has dragged on past November 3 and is continuing even today. Prior to the 2020 vote, you could bet on Voter Turnout in the U.S Presidential Election, the percentage of Americans that would turn out and vote, Majority Control of the U.S. Senate, if Donald would get kicked off Twitter and whether or not Trump would lose every state he lost in 2016 – just to name a few.
Many sportsbooks offered odds on which candidate would carry each of the 50 states. For example, the Republicans were heavy favorites in Alabama, and the Democrats were heavy favorites in California, but it was tight in Wisconsin. You could also find prop bet options on all manner of weird and wonderful markets. There were Trump impeachment odds, and betting options on which Candidate would drop out first.
Nowadays you can bet on whether or not Joe Biden will be impeached, what year Kamala Harris will become President and whether Biden will complete his first term.
Election Prop Betting brought a little fun to what was an intense Election Season and will likely continue to be a big part of any Election campaign going forward.
Trump: +150 Biden-200
Oddschecker Us Politics Betting
Trump: +150 Biden -180
Trump: +172 Biden -204
House and Senate Winner Odds
Control of the US House of Representatives and the US Senate became a huge part of the 2020 US Election season and will provide huge US Election Betting opportunities in less than two years. In 2020, Republicans actually picked up seats in the House but shockingly lost their long-established control of the Senate thanks to two defeats in ruby-red Georgia.
Elections have consequences and 2020’s were that Republicans’ loyalty to Donald Trump cost them control of all three branches of Government, giving Joe Biden and the Democrats a virtual rubber-stamp for any policy they want to pass.
For the Best odds on the presidential Election Visit 5Dimes.
Where to Bet on Politics
European Politics Betting
If you want to bet on politics, you need to find a trustworthy, reputable betting site that will pay you any winnings promptly. SBR has reviewed more than 1,000 sportsbooks, allowing us to identify the very best in the business. Check out our list of top sportsbooks to browse the list of sports betting sites that have secured an A+ or A rating. You can wager at any of those sites with confidence. Most offer political betting, and that trend of growing opportunities will only increase thanks to the insanity that we have seen the last 8+ years.
The online sportsbooks cited on this page are all great options. They are well-known betting sites, trustworthy and renowned for paying out on time. They offer a range of compelling sports betting and political betting markets, and some attractive odds and bonuses too.
Presidential Election Betting Tips
It helps to pay attention to what is happening in the world when betting on Elections. Donald Trump appeared to be on a path to victory at this time last year with the economy raging and everything seemingly on the upswing in the US. Political scientists have long pointed to the effects of economic performance upon major votes in countries across the globe. A failing economy is often disastrous for the incumbent.
Social unrest and COVID-19 completely changed the economic trajectory of the country and ultimately brought Donald Trump down thanks to his unwillingness or inability to deal with either. It wasn’t his bombast, his lies, or his divisive personality, it was outside factors that made him just one of 11 one-term Presidents.
That said, it seems as though political loyalties are baked into some people’s minds in the US, giving credence to the notion that it doesn’t matter to some what is going on in their country – “once a Republican, always a Republican”. If it were the case of outside forces being the sole determinant of an Election outcome, Mr. Trump would have been absolutely destroyed in November.
You should also never fear backing the underdog. Donald Trump was the underdog right up until the end in 2016 and won. In 2020 he was a huge dog and almost pulled it off.
The outsider often wins and you see headlines screaming that the bookmakers got it wrong. Yet bookmakers are not trying to predict the result of the vote. They are not pollsters. They are simply trying to make money. They will offer the most compelling odds on each candidate that they can muster, based on the volume of bets previously received on each man. Look at policies, ratings and the general mood of the country before looking at the odds. Do not be afraid of prop betting options either. Some are ridiculous, but others can be potential gold mines if you do your research.
Alternative Politics Betting Markets
You can bet on political developments taking place in a wide range of countries this year. There are key elections taking place in New Zealand, Poland, Serbia, Belize, Bolivia, Croatia, and many other countries. Sportsbooks are offering lines on the next country to leave the EU, the next country to hold a referendum on leaving the bloc, the next CDU leader in Germany, the year of the next Spanish general election, the next Pope, North and South Korea unifying as a single sovereign state, and much more. Some of these bets are designed for entertainment purposes, but you can make healthy profits if you successfully predict the outcome of political events in many countries.
Is Betting on Politics Legal?
Political betting is perfectly legal. Several US state laws now permit sports betting, and they make provisions for accepting wagers on politics and entertainment too. Betting on politics has been a prominent pursuit in Europe for hundreds of years, and it continues to grow in popularity in America. If you like betting, politics can be your savior amid the lack of sporting action currently on offer. Just make sure you find a safe, reliable sports betting site with a healthy political wagering section, and get involved in the action.